City Launches Utility Transfer Document Library

Public Web site offers detailed analysis of proposed transfer

Mayor Greg Ballard and Citizens Energy Group today launched ftp://ftp.indygov.org/utilities/, a Web site dedicated to improving the accessibility of hundreds of documents related to the transfer of the City’s water and wastewater utilities to Citizens.

“Making these many detailed documents more accessible to City-County Councillors, residents and advisory groups is imperative to providing an open and transparent process,” said Mayor Ballard. “My administration and Citizens have spent the past two months detailing the benefits of the transfer, and now, we encourage the public to visit the Web site to review the background documents that support the millions of dollars in savings the transfer will provide to ratepayers.”

More than 500 documents reside on the Web site, with additional documents to be added as they become available. Residents and ratepayers can access the Web site by visiting ftp://ftp.indygov.org/utilities/ and entering the following login information:

Username: public

Password: public

“This library provides a detailed look at Citizens’ water and wastewater utilities proposal and the documents that created the public charitable trust, which exists only to benefit the citizens of Indianapolis,” said Carey Lykins, Citizens president and CEO. “Providing easy access to detailed information is essential to building strong, trusting relationships with water and wastewater customers, elected officials and community leaders, just as we have with our gas system for more than 100 years.”

Since March 10, 2010, representatives of the City of Indianapolis and Citizens have participated in nearly 40 public meetings to discuss the utility transfer. In the coming weeks, representatives of the City and Citizens will attend more town hall meetings hosted by City-County Councillors. Upcoming town hall meetings include:

May 18, 6-7:30 p.m.: Councillor Ryan Vaughn’s Town Hall Meeting
Broad Ripple High School, 1115 Broad Ripple Ave.

May 19, 7-8:30 p.m.: Councillor William Oliver’s Town Hall Meeting
Washington Park Family Center, 3130 E. 30th St.

On March 10, 2010, Mayor Ballard and Lykins signed a Memorandum of Understanding to transfer the water and wastewater utilities to Citizens. Before final approval of the transfer, the City must receive approval from the Board of Waterworks, City-Council Council and Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. The Board of Public Works unanimously approved the transfer on April 14.

As a result of the transfer, the City will receive more than $425 million that will be directly invested in the City’s crumbling infrastructure. In addition, Citizens agrees to assume approximately $1.5 billion of City debt (combined debt of waterworks and wastewater). Citizens expects to be able to lower utility rate increases by 25 percent over the next 15 years through more than $40 million in annual savings that will be achieved by combining the water and wastewater utilities with Citizens gas, steam and chilled water systems.

On May 17, the City-County Council will consider ordinances filed by Councillor Mike Speedy to approve the PILOT financing and permit the City to proceed with negotiations to transfer of the City’s water and wastewater utilities to Citizens. The Council will analyze the utility transfer and must approve any final agreement.

For more information about the utility transfers or to submit feedback, visit www.indy.gov/utilities or call (317) 327-4MAC.